Showing posts with label visuals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label visuals. Show all posts

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Short and sassy trends

I keep going back and forth between letting my hair grow out or cutting it short short.  The last time I did that was two summers ago and the hunkster hubster just about had a coronary.  He said:  "Why would someone do THAT to you?"

I don't think men like change much and even more so, they gravitate towards lasses with long tresses.

Then there is color.  My experiment with going silver instead of the in grey, ended up fading into platinum blonde.  I had even waited three whole days before I washed my hair, to ensure the color would last.  (Guess that is the last time I go to an "expert" stylist at the place that rhymes with "matters".)

Whenever I'm on the verge of a change, I scour the web for images for something that I think will work.  Goodness, the ones I seem to move towards are not only short, they're of the reddish variety.  Here are some that stood out, for young or old:



Miley Cyrus has thankfully settled down and realized that no attention is better than freak attention.  This look, without the fru fru on the top, would work nicely with my already platinum color.


Haley has shown us for quite some time:  if you find a look that suits you, stick with it and work around it.  The way her cut frames her face compliments her great cheekbones and make her eyes pop.



Dramatic yes.  Wouldn't it be great for your seasonal events, office parties, customer appreciation events?  This is not a wallflower look.



What a wonderful way to say, I'm the "girl next door, friendly, positive, with a sparkle in her eyes".  I don't have any freckles but it would work well with green eyes.


This is a messy that says its on purpose look.  The warm tones really compliment the pale complexion.  My skin tone has a little more color and may make it look reddish.  A professional stylist would know best.


This shows me how great a short looks on any skin tone or age.  The cut seems to lift her face and make her look vibrant.  That's a cheap face lift.



This says:  "I've got my eye on you and I know how to handle you."  Short wavy auburn with bursts of red make it quite dazzling and reminds me how great short dos show off those long earrings!


A half shaved head is all the rage.  I guess my age did show when my youngest daughter's friend came over this summer while she was in town, with this look.  I was a bit alarmed because she looks similar to this model and I did think to myself, why would you destroy a feminine look?


Just when you think it was just a twist of a trend, you see the likes of Demi showing off her half man head (my opinion).   I guess it's cool.  Yet I don't think it suits anyone, not even a pop star.




 This may be considered a little more key but the holed ears remind me that kids nowadays are fascinated with the 80s ... I thought punk.


I found this and threw it in here because men are known to want to make a statement with there, um, heads.  All I could think of here was:  "did he have to poke holes in his head for them to stay, or are they glued?"  Seems like a lot of work for a weird image.

So, there is a lot of choices out there.  I know that I have to do something.  My clue is when I don't blow dry or style my hair, but just pin it back.  It seems to me that it screams to everyone that I'm in an "in between stage".

Whatever color or style you chose, after all, has to suit you.  If you go for more trendy or dramatic statements, you have to be able to pull it off with the rest of your looks.  I guess the easy part of the shaved look would mean all you have to do is pull on those torn and tattered jeans with a t-shirt with a Nirvana print to show your finger is on the pulse of style and you have an affinity with the 80s.


My "before" look.  See what I mean about the pinned back hair?  That bump on the top back turned whispie darn it!  Well, at least I'm smiling.  Could be because the earrings and necklace set shows I love my accessories!

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Social media IS all about YOU!

A question was posed on Jeannette  Facebook (yes people interact and ask questions of their most trusted advisors privately without all the hoopla on Twitter) on which network have respondents'  found to be the best to launch their social media presence?   Initially, I was going to reply with Twitter but then realized that my LINKED IN profile says the most about who I am with links to my Blog,  philosophy OptioneerJM  interests (Pinterest), philosophy (Blog) and (Blog) out of  all the networks.  However, I stopped myself to expand to state that I would credit Twitter  for launching my#socialmedia personality to the stratosphere (compared to the others) ... honorable mention: without "working it) G+ #Google where I gained 5000#Followers compared to working it on #Twitter .  

I have also uncovered an interesting tidbit.  InstraGRAM has it's own stars, as Guy Kowasaki launched giHUGE on Google Plus.   Goolge is appearing to be a sleeper platform.  Surprisingly so since about three years ago I predicted that anything connected with Google was going to rapidly expand, really, I attest to its overall power over anything on the internet.

Bill Gates must really be shuddering and Steve Jobs, rolling in the clouds (the white ones), with Mr.  Pakard, and Mr. Hewitt smiling fondly on a company that used their core values as a foundling to a superstar of anything technology -- internet, networks, cloud, search, blogs, SEO, content, mobility, games, Playstore.  Non would disagree that Google allowed its team to study its competitors in the space they wanted to dominate:  YOUR ATTENTION.

Thus the title of this blog:  social media IS all about YOU!



Father, brother, uncle, grandfather, coach, teacher, banker, employer, boss, clergy, mentor
Where else can you be you?  

Seriously, you have to behave at church, pay attention in school, exert in extra-curricular activities, mind your manners with parents, siblings, relatives, friends sometimes, employer, boss, clergyman, partner, spouse, mentor, grandparents, and the clerk at the grocery store!  Ah-hem (deep breath).... I'm exhausted and I didn't finish ... study, pay attention to your education or else your boss or your banker won't pay much attention to you while your friends, coach, family, mentor find other things to do because you lost their attention!

Finished stretching ... then there is your coach riding you on your sport, job, career, book, audio, video endurance.  Can you stay relevant to your close circle of friends for the long run between relationships, getting married, having kids, setting up house, shopping, financial future, expertise, interests, or other activities?  


Who can you show your photos to?

Be truthful and brutally honest, nobody wants to sit through your narrative on your vacation, travels, business trip, conference, school, wedding, birth, kids activity, sport, scores, sayings do they?  How about you try sharing some photos with your blathering, shouting out, retweeting, shares, posts, profile, bio?  Why would they settle in while you pass them photos of your graduation, party, BBQ, reunion, gathering, holiday, trips, flowers,  food, fantasies when they tend to be serious about fitness, facts, favorites, family, focus.


Do people tune out when you philosophize?

Where did you get your certification, degree or Ph.D in recommending anything as important?  Do you get to write and be featured in a magazine, newspaper, radio broadcast, television commercial, event, musical talents?  Well, most of the people I know any way.  Don't feel bad.  You are part of the norm.  Which makes me wonder where do all the exceptional, inspirational, motivational, celebrity, famous, super stars hang out all together?  You thinking like me, not very many chill together.



Where can you test your theories?

So you know a thing or two is saved for self-proclaimed experts.  Most of us know about a lot of different things which circle around interests:  reading, writing, the environment, oceanography, meteorology, photography, and the king of it all:  technology.  Don't forget about art, beauty, fashion, fitness, food.  Think about it:  you wake up in the morning, and what you do makes you a participant of any number of those items.   You maybe even stretching your brain to understand about all of them.  Under technology you are using a computer, a laptop, a tablet, a cell phone, a telephone, a mobile phone, a smart phone with your fingertips so that must mean you are technology whiz too!

Fighting the pack is photography.  Some are photographers, others videographers.  But before we bow and face defeat ... we stand up to say we know just about anything about photography because we all have identification, passports, passes, reports, files, government with hands on experience ourselves so we can be a photographer of fame then.

We cook, eat, shop for groceries, nourish, exercise, shop, dress, apply makeup, learn all in the same day which makes us knowledgeable about just about everything.


Where can you learn?

Certainly, I get it.  We all went to kindergarten, elementary, junior high, middle school, high school, college, university, conference, the internet, books, libraries to assemble our knowledge.  Never all at the same time.


How do you share your love?

Personally, I like flowers, chocolates, getting it on, hugs and kisses.  Do you know that about me?  What makes you so special that you know that you have a spot in my heart? If you're lucky you will get a smile, a note, a card, a joke, an email, a bouquet of flowers, basket of fruit, my time, my attention, my loyalty, my effort, my response, and share likely except the chocolate perhaps.



#BlueAngels, #Airplanes, #SeaFair, #Planes #Seattle


Where DO you go?

Social media is elementary my dear people.  You can do all those things, be all those people, be true to who you are, reject what is offensive, ignore what is irrelevant, find out what is going on, who has it going on, where you can go:  travel, holiday, parks, oceans, seas, islands, countries, cities, experience, challenge, react to, rise up to, reach out to, reep rewards from?  Social media my dear friends.  



#Minions #minion #banana #character #joke #quote



Who do you CONNECT with?

Besides the obvious that fall into your physical circle of influence, you can expand your influence, your circle, your friendships, your crushes, your adventures, mind, knowledge, specialty.  You use social media to do that.  Who ever said "the world was our oyster" was brilliant and a futurist who sensed that the world would end up be by what we do with those skills, experience, wisdom so that others may benefit, like, discover, recover, inspire, motivate, learn.  You sound a poem?  Very likely you have wrote one or read one, where can you do both?  Social media:  you can talk, read, act, smile, frown, inform, share, post, put forward.


Unconvinced still?

That's okay.  There are still quite a number of you out there.  You get your news from the radio, television, computer, school, company information.  But what if you could assemble that all at the same time and share it with others who may connect, share similar interests, goals, achievements, dreams on the same level as you? 


 Social media is where it's at.

Time to get with it if you want to be cool, connected, informed, known.


Monday, June 22, 2015

Want what you have

As I write this blog it evolves.  Primarily experimental or experiential, depending on my writing and who is reading it.  What I include are items that strike my fancy weighed by my mood or circumstances. 

Where we live and how we live are important to many of us.  Creating creature comforts and having the best life has to offer is a priority for many, a reality for the lucky and dreams for others. 

There are destructive emotions we should avoid for our daily health and wellbeing.  They are emotions that can deteriorate and replace a positive outlook outside of events or occurrence that impact us that we cannot control.  For example:
  • Envy:  wanting what others have. 
  • Jealousy: anger at what others want to possess.
  • Resentment:  remorse for opportunities passing by.
  • Bitterness:  unable to let bygones be bygones.
  • Greed:  possessiveness without sharing.
  • Pride:  giving importance to others opinions
  • Arrogance:  smugness in accomplishments
  • Superiority:  thinking one is better than others
  • Vanity:  putting appearance before anything else
  • Ego:  destructive self perception
  • Emotional:  going from one mood extreme to another
  • Conceit:  self absorbed promotion, better than others
  • Cruel:  punishing other people or animals; heartless
  • Pretentious: braggart, opinionated, loud, boastful
  • Intolerant:  rigid boundaries that are limiting
  • Prejudice: biased, narrow judgment, racism, stereotype
  • Narcissism:  self-motivated by  the obstruction of others 
  • Difficult:  demanding, narrow, unrelenting
  • Selfish:  protecting opinion and possessions
  • Defiant:  Going against the rules, radical, aggressive

There are so many better characteristics we should aspire to replace or offset the destructive ones:
  • Humility:  putting others accomplishments ahead
  • Modesty:  non bragging on achievements
  • Forgiving:  allowing others wrongs to be undone
  • Charitable:  giving of self or possessions
  • Understanding:  open-minded, permitting others views
  • Accepting: allowing other's differences
  • Easy going:  flexible, liberal, adaptable
  • Admirable:  looked up to by others, a positive example
  • Generous: fruitfulness in actions and charitable giving
  • Humanity:  putting others first, caring about people
  • Philanthropic: using personal resources to gift others
  • Positive:  outlook, attitude, viewpoint, example
  • Balanced: composed, stable, adjusted, together
  • Compliant:  obedience of rules, embrace guidance
  • Inquisitiveness:  wanting to learn, accept new knowledge
  • Calm:  steady, understanding negativity, even tempered
We're not perfect by any means.  That is why, I imagine, religion, godliness is what some of us aspire to grasp onto when our personal resources are depleted.   I'm not saying having beliefs in religion is a cop out.  What I am saying is having those beliefs gives us permission to look for a better approach to living and life.

We should be careful not to sway too far the other way.  There are some qualities, held in check, that can be good for us.  In many situations, we should have one stabilized with another. Being too far in one direction can hamper or restrict one's life, be harmful to our health, or increase our stress levels:

Shyness:  anxious,  introverted, fearful, withdrawn
Timid:  passive, non-assertive, quiet, silent,
Submissive:  giving up, allowing others control, avoidance
Silent:  Mute, noiseless, inaudible, still hushed,
Intimidated:  allowing others control, afraid, soundless
Victimized:  harmed, casualty, fatality, prey
Rigid:  steadfast to position, belief, opinion, immobile
Placid:  docile, unfeeling, cold
Stressed:  out of control, inability to meet needs, crowded

Ride along with me on this journey. 
Don't tackle everything at once.  If you have heard or sense what others perceive in you, good or bad, right or wrong.  Take one destructive point and take an opposing quality.  By doing so, we will move towards fulfillment, contentment and wellness. 

I thought of this blog when originally thinking to consolidate some of the items I promoted because they attracted my attentions and desires.  I've noticed how well blogs that promote other brands, products, fashions.  So, I included them.  Then I got to thinking that wanting things, looks, materialism can be destructive and how it is all about balance.  For example, if you want a vacation, you may still have obligations or financial restrictions that won't allow you to just book it.  However, having goals are fueled by those desires that drive you to want to reach those things, places, looks.

I think it is healthy to admire things without allowing envy to enter the equation.  That also allows us to give permission to share ideas and embrace others' ideas.  It can bring acceptance or dissatisfaction. 

How we handle it individually is what makes our world open to new possibilities.  Don't beat yourself up because you bond with something pleasing to your eye or opens up new ideas. 

Here are some images that appeal to me:




Big windows where light can seeps in.  Lots of seating for lots of friends and family to hang out at.  I love the soothing blend of the calm colors with the stone and woodwork.
 


 
 
 
Sometimes you just have to get out of the house to be in a peaceful, quaint setting.  I like meeting new people and it is often in a setting with coffee and big comfy chairs.  Sometimes it is just reading the newspaper, a magazine, enjoying a coffee someone else made.
 

 
Solitude is beneficial.  Being extroverted with history of a hectic household, demanding job, putting demands on myself, it is just nice to get away.  A walk on this path is not far off and within reach of me.  Being reminded is healthy.  Being afraid of bears and animals intruding on my wanders is a reality even if it is not necessarily a risk.
 


I won't get into the drama (this time at least) surrounding my vehicle saga.  I've had a Mini Cooper S and a Mercedes and driving a practical Hyundai Elantra right now.  This falls under the "wouldn't it be great to have" category.






This reminded me of when I did the design of my back deck, drawing it out by hand, this was very similar and included a hot tub.  I was a solo-mom at the time and considered all the factors of how practical one would be.  Visions of a bunch of little kids jumping in and splashing around interrupted my image of quietness, glass of wine, soft music.  I was already accustomed to adding another plate or three for dinner.  I wasn't prepared to share something like this.  Then the reality of daily maintenance and ongoing upkeep eliminated it from my list.


I am an admitted clothes horse.  I tend to plan what I am going to wear in advance.  I imagine gaps in colors, accessories and the like to give me an excuse to go shopping.

I am not a grab anything throw it on type of gal.  I do spend time visualizing my wardrobe, accessories, purses and shoes to put together an outfit for usually the next day.  Even if it is just hanging around the house or running errands.  That sounds extreme as I write this.  Well, we all have our perks and quirks.

I rediscovered Polymore because it appeals to that part of me that likes to imagine looks put together.  The challenge is finding things I already have that can successfully be used to achieve these looks.    
 
Ramping up for the Calgary Stampede which will be upon Calgary early July, my focus has circulated around fashion must haves and fashion looks to go hand in hand with the Country vibe for the summer.












Thursday, June 18, 2015

relaxZEN

"When you've done the technical part, you're then into the joy, the zen, into being.  Technology no longer exists for you.  You're then into the mystery of the thing you're doing."
 
~William Shatner




I had a number of things to do today on a day off.  However, I did think to myself yesterday that I would give myself a day of nothing.  Nothing to do, no chores, no coffee with friends, no work, no thinking - notta, nope, not gonna, nevermind.

So what I did instead was go to Polymore (which I hadn't been for months) to create a look and feel for doing nothing but relax and be in the moment. 

I used the word Zen in my post title and realized that there are probably a number of mutations to what the word really meant, so I looked it up on the handy dandy Wikipedia:

Zen
Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that developed in China during the Tang dynasty as Chán. From China, Chán spread south to Vietnam, northeast to Korea and east to Japan, where it became known as Japanese Zen.


Zen emphasizes rigorous meditation-practice, insight into Buddha-nature, and the personal expression of this insight in daily life, especially for the benefit of others.[3][4] As such, it deemphasizes mere knowledge of sutras and doctrine[5][6] and favors direct understanding through zazen and interaction with an accomplished teacher.[7]


Huh?  I thought it was all about being at peace with oneself and one's environment.  I guess I have a little bit more learning to do.

To share my expressiveness today, this is what I created on Polyvore (when I should have been doing something else: housework, paperwork, etc.)


The one thing I did do was take my dog, Buddy, for a walk.  We both enjoyed it. 



"My blogging life is basically goalless.  I like the zen nature of that, and paradoxically, it improves results."
~Seth Godin


 
 


Monday, June 8, 2015

Quoting QUOTES

Quotes tend to inspire and motivate. 

They are popular on all the social media platforms and tend to be shared more if they host an image.

I've assembled some of the ones that I made up from a combination of wonderful imagery, art or photography to pay tribute and give justice to such innovative wording.

I hope you like some or all of them.  They have been attributed to whom said the words .... and a few times, the images inspired me to create my own.